Influencer Andrew Tate Handed UK Arrest Warrant in Romania

Andrew Tate walks in his yard after being released from house arrest and put under judicial control measures, on the outskirts of Bucharest, Romania, on Aug. 4, 2023. Alexandru Dobre/AP Photo

Influencer Andrew Tate has been detained in Romania and handed an arrest warrant issued by British authorities, according to his spokeswoman.

Mr. Tate and his brother Tristan were detained on Monday evening on allegations of sexual aggression in a UK case dating back to 2012–2015, his spokeswoman Mateea Petrescu said on Tuesday.

She said that the Bucharest Court of Appeal is set to decide later on Tuesday on whether to execute the warrants issued by Westminster Magistrates Court.

It is understood the current arrest warrant relates to other alleged offences being investigated by Bedfordshire Police.

The brothers have rejected all charges.

A statement from law firm McCue Jury & Partners, the lawyers acting on behalf of Mr. Tate’s British accusers, wrote to UK police to request his detention over fears he would flee Romania.

Detention

“Last week, we received information that Tate might have been planning to flee Romania, where he is due to stand trial for separate allegations of rape and human trafficking,” the firm said.

“We wrote to the British police to bring this to their attention and to urge them to immediately seek a warrant for Tate’s detention in Romania and extradition to the UK.”

The law firm said the four British accusers were the subject of an investigation by Hertfordshire Constabulary.

In a short statement issued on Tuesday, the Tates’ representative said: “This bewildering revival of decade-old accusations has left the Tate brothers dismayed and deeply troubled.

“They categorically reject all charges and express profound disappointment that such serious allegations are being resurrected without substantial new evidence.

“The Tate brothers assert that the timing and circumstances surrounding the reappearance of these allegations raise serious questions about the motives behind this legal action.

“The suggestion that Mr Tate’s rise to fame may have played a role in these developments adds another layer of distress and concern.”

‘Hustler University’

Mr. Tate, a British national who was born in the United States, moved to Romania five years ago.

He shot to fame after appearing on the UK television show “Big Brother” in 2016.

He went on to amass fame thanks, in part, to his paid video subscription program “Hustler University,” billed as an “exclusive community with over 100000 students learning how to make money online,” as well as his social media accounts in which he shares videos commenting about social issues including masculinity and the supposed roles of women.

As a result of his controversial videos, Mr. Tate has been banned from Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, although he was welcomed back to Twitter after it was taken over by billionaire businessman Elon Musk.

Romania

The Tate brothers are charged with rape, human trafficking, and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women in a separate case in Romania after being arrested in the country’s capital in December 2022 alongside two Romanian women.

They also deny these allegations.

The Tate brothers’ statement added: “As the Bucharest Court of Appeal convenes today, the Tate brothers are still hopeful that the court will consider the broader implications of this case and its potential impact on justice and due process.

“They remain resolute in their pursuit of truth and justice, confident that the legal system will ultimately vindicate their innocence.”

Katabella Roberts and PA Media contributed to this report.